Sirius Black and the Sorting Hat's Retribution
by JacobApples
Summary: Ever wonder what if it wasn't Harry's generation that had to solve the Voldemort issue? What would have happened if a Gryffindor was sorted into Slytherin? What if Voldemort really had wanted the Heir of House Black to be his right-hand man? A story of an early generation ending a war before it starts. An AU of the Marauder age. Good-Slytherin Sirius. No pairing.


WARNING: I am dyslexic, i.e. I have a language disability. I do proofread and put it through online spell checks because if I didn't… well please excuse the mistakes I miss or PM me or stop reading, please refrain from reviewing about my mistakes...

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Summary: Ever wonder what if it wasn't Harry's generation that had to solve the Voldemort issue? What would have happened if a Gryffindor was sorted into Slytherin? What if Sirius Black was forced to take a stand with his family? What if Voldemort really had wanted the Heir of House Black to be his right-hand man?

This is a story about a young boy who did not fit into his family and must learn to be a part of them anyway. A young man who hears of a war and speaks up for what is right even if it costs him what peace he can find. Watch as Sirius Black gives the House of Salazar Slytherin a different path that could avert the suffering of the generations to come.

You've seen Harry and Co. take out Voldemort. Read how the Sirius and Snakes take back their identities from the stigmas of the past and the corrupted wizard who would steal their futures.

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KEYNOTE: Because I need more canon characters in school, Lucius, Bellatrix, and notable others will be closer to Sirius's in age.

Chapter 1 - The Sorting

His mother was screaming at him. There was nothing new about this occurrence, he was so used to it in fact, he had learned to tune out her words. Today, her words were white noise, it was a new day. Today was the day that Sirius Black would go to Hogwarts and leave this terrible place.

" _-And you will be sorted into Slytherin!"_ His mother screeched, finally stopping to draw in a breath.

Sirius would not be sorted into Slytherin. His father who was reading the Prophet on the far end of the table knew that, his younger brother who was trying to finish his breakfast without flinching knew that, and even the nosy portraits on the walls knew that. His mother was the only person in the Number 12 Grimald Place with the delusion that Sirius could or would live up to the standards of being Heir to the Black Family.

His father must have given up on him when he was about four or so as Sirius had no memories of the stoic man directly talking to him. Sure, Orion talked while Sirius was in the room, said things about Sirius, even said things Sirius was meant to hear or learn, but Orion 'talked' to him the way a man lectures to an empty room, no expectation of that room talking back.

The entire Black clan had adopted some form of this tactic. No one was foolish enough to ask Sirius a direct question as Sirius was known for always voicing his views, no matter how undesirable they were. The exception to this rule was his little brother, his cousin Andromeda, and his Uncle Alphard.

Well, Bellatrix sort of liked him but Sirius couldn't stand her, there was something objectively wrong with the woman. Almost, as wrong as with his mother but Sirius was not at all objective in regards to the person who made his life a living hell. Sirius felt bad that he was leaving Regulus behind with her, but Reggie was the baby of the family, everyone loved the shy yet brilliant boy, even Sirius had a soft spot for him despite his resentment for how easy Regulus seemed to fit into the pig-poop that was their society without becoming a terrible person himself.

Aside from never being sorted into Slytherin, Sirius's second goal in life was never to marry a relative. Inbreeding appeared to have varied results if one were to use the Black family as an example.

"Did you hear me?" his mother demanded.

"Yes, Sir," Sirius said resolutely.

She slapped the back of his head, "I am your mother, you horrible child. If you don't do well in school I will never live it down. You will do well."

Sirius itched to rub the back of his head, but showing weakness would not help him. His mother was not a sympathetic or merciful person.

She hadn't asked another question so he remained quiet.

Today would be a good day. He just needed to hold his tongue until he got on the train and then, Sirius bit cheek to suppress his smile, and then there would be no more rules, no punishments that could stop him from doing whatever he liked, to _be_ whoever he liked.

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Regulus came with them to King's Cross Station. His father wandered off to talk with some other example of fine-inbred society as his mother continued hissing instructions at him.

Reggie clung to Sirius's hand until the last moment.

Sirius pulled the younger boy into a tight hug, "You're going to be fine."

Reggie held on, "But I'll be alone."

Sirius pulled back so he could meet the gaze of those grey-blue eyes that were a mirror of his own, "We can write each other letters and Narcissa doesn't enter Hogwarts until next year."

"Mum is going to be so mad when you're not sorted into Slytherin."

Sirius shrugged, "It will work itself, you'll see. No matter what happens we will always be brothers."

Regulus stole one last hug before their mother ripped them apart launching into a lecture of public decency.

Sirius shot Regulus a wink before turning towards his own future.

His future was interceded almost immediately by Bellatrix who yanked him into a compartment.

"Cousin," she purred, "sit." She pushed him roughly into a seat beside a blonde fifth year who he was pretty sure was Lucius Malfoy.

"Get your hands off me, freak," Sirius snarled and stood, fully intending to get the hell out of there.

Bella laughed, deep throated and head back. Her long black hair fell sleek in shining down her back. She pushed him back into his seat, "Welcome to Hogwarts, Siri."

"What do you want?" Sirius realizing he would have to play along to get out of this.

"I just wanted to welcome you. This is Lucius Malfoy. He and I are the fifth year prefects."

"What moron would make you a prefect?" Sirius asked, "You hate people. Are you planning to eat the first years?"

She batted her large brown eyes at him before leaning over him, "I could eat you."

Sirius jabbed his wand into her side, and threatened in a low voice, "Get. Away. From. Me."

Bella fell back into the adjacent seat laughing madly, as if Sirius had shared some hilarious secret.

Sirius went for the door and was half out of the compartment when the Malfoy boy spoke, "I look forward to seeing you in our house, Mr. Black."

"I am not a Slytherin," Sirius gritted throw his teeth.

"You are a Black, it equates to the same," Malfoy said, eyes cold.

His eyes reminded Sirius of a dead fish.

"There is always an exception," Sirius said and slammed the compartment door, Bella still convulsing on the other seat with laughter.

Sirius almost walked into a scruffy haired, glasses wearing first year. The boy grinned at him, "Not a fan of Slytherin."

Sirius scoffed, "Not in the slightest. I'm Sirius."

The hazel-eyed boy held out his hand, "I'm James Potter. I'll be in Gryffindor."

Sirius's smile felt like it would cause permanent muscle damage as he clasped hands with the Potter boy. "Now that's a decent house."

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James and Sirius found a compartment with a sickly looking boy, he had sandy brown hair and pale brown eyes.

"Hi," James greeted the skittish boy warmly, "I'm James Potter and this is Sirius we're first years too."

"Like he couldn't tell," Sirius snarked.

James laughed, it was a pure, venomless sound.

"I'm Remus Lupin," the boy said, smiling hesitantly.

 _Lupin,_ Sirius thought, _isn't that one of families tied to the Dumbledores?_

Sirius was about to ask just that when he noticed the stupid look on James's face, a sort of awed, slack jawed expression. Sirius looked in the same direction seeing a lanky black haired boy listening to a redhead girl with bright green eyes.

"Love at first glimpse, eh Potter?" Sirius asked, elbowing his new found friend.

James blinked, "Who is she?"

Sirius took another look, but the pair had moved on further down the train. "Red hair? Prewitt or Weasley or Bones. But Molly Prewitt is a fourth year and the Weasley's only have sons. So she's either a Bones or a muggleborn."

"Do you know all the pure-blood families?" Remus asked, the light of curiosity in his eyes.

Sirius shrugged, "It was either learn them or be put in the family dungeon for Yule."

"I'm a pureblood," James said, puffing out his chest.

Sirius sniggered.

"What?" James protested, "Everyone in my family is a wizard or witch and we are descended from Ignotus Peverell."

"Yeah, and my great aunt got burned off the family tree for marrying a Potter. My family reckons that Potters aren't pure anything," Sirius said.

"And what do you reckon?" Remus asked.

"I think I don't care if your daddy was a vampire as long as you're a good person."

Remus's smile was genuine this time.

"So does that make us second cousins?" James asked.

Sirius shook his head, "Nah, either third cousins or second cousins who are once or twice removed. I don't really know for sure, I didn't have to memorize the lines that were burned off the family tree."

"You should burn off someone who was super tied to blood purity idea as a prank," James suggested.

Sirius laughed, "Yeah that would be funny." _And I would have to burn the entire tapestry._ It wasn't an unpleasant thought.

* * *

The trio road in a boat across the lake, with the addition of a plump boy even more skittish than Remus. His name was Peter Pettigrew, and with one brief conversation, Sirius and James learned the boy was laughably gullible.

By the time they landed on the shore they had convinced Peter they would have to fight dragons barehanded before getting sorted. Remus was frowning at them both but didn't spoil their game.

Sirius was not at all intimidated by Minerva McGonagall, she was an adorable kitten compared to his mother. He wouldn't have any trouble with her as his Head of House.

Entering the doors of the Great Halls, Sirius was overcome with hope. This was really happening. He would really be free from his family for an entire year aside from the summer. Months without screaming or dark art lessons or his father pretending he didn't exist or house elves pushing him down stairs or…

Sirius was glad that his surname started with B, it was the only redeeming quality of the thing as it meant he got to be sorted sooner.

He was going to prove to the world that not every Black was bad, that he was different from his family.

The Sorting Hat descended onto his head.

 _Hmmm…_

Sirius jumped at the sound of someone else's voice in his head.

 _I see you've set your heart on Gryffindor,_ said the Sorting Hat.

 _Yes, I have,_ Sirius thought back confidently.

 _Hmmm…_

Sirius gritted his teeth as he waited, growing more agitated as the hat remained silent.

 _Would you sort me already?_ Sirius thought angrily.

 _I have sorted every Black to walk through those doors,_ the Hat mused, _and every one of them just so happened to fit best into Slytherin._

Sirius glared into the rim of the Hat, _Except for me_.

 _No, you're right, you don't fit and yet…_

"And yet what?" Sirius asked aloud, growing nervous.

 _And yet your family needs you more than they know, Mr. Black._

"No," Sirius breathed in horror.

But he was too late the Sorting Hat had already proclaimed to the Great Hall, " _SLYTHERIN!"_

Every hope, every dream, and every wish Sirius had ever had was laid to waste. He stood numbly, the Slytherin table roaring their pleasure, the rest of the hall hardly pretending to care. He saw a few roll their eyes.

Someone whispered, "He's a Black, there's no other place for his kind."

And Sirius knew exactly how a muggleborn must feel when scum like the people in his family called them mudbloods, as if they were a kind of thing with a predestined fate.

Somehow Sirius found the courage to make eye contact with the friends he had made on the Hogwarts express.

Remus Lupin seemed indifferent to him now.

James Potter looked like he had been betrayed.

Sirius sunk low in his seat. Bellatrix slinging an arm around his shoulders, "Welcome home."

It would have hurt less if the Sorting Hat had tried to eat his face off. At least it would have made for a better story.

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AN: So this is a plot bunny I am throwing out to see the response I get. I was writing Sirius for "Easier Than Falling Asleep" and realized how much I loved this age before Harry. Not as sophisticated writing style at first as Sirius is an eleven year old.

This is not a Time Travel story but an AU of the Marauder age.

Spoiler: Sirius, Regulus, Severus, Lily, and James aren't going to die of anything but old age. Because everyone dies in canon and I think it is harder to write a compelling story where people make it through.

Please Comment if you want more! I don't know if anyone would be interested in this or not.


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